Dilemmas In Love
by bleachfanatic49
Summary: The Winter War is over and life in Karakura is back to normal. Ichigo finally decides to pursue Orihime, but her relationship with their Quincy friend seems to be getting in the way. [Ichigo x Orihime, Uryu x Orihime]


**Everyday Life of Three Kids**

Chapter One

It had been two years since Sosuke Aizen's defeat by Ichigo Kurosaki and Kisuke Urahara, the saviors of Karakura Town and Soul Society.

Ichigo lost all traces of his power after the epic battle, even his ability to see ghosts had diminished. He wasn't sure what to feel...emotions ranged from relief and happiness that his loved ones were safe and he was free at last to live a normal life, to depression and pain over his now lack of spiritual powers to protect.

His partner Rukia Kuchiki—the one who had awakened his power in the beginning—sent him back to the World of the Living along with their friends Orihime, Chad, and Uryu. Ichigo's powerlessness hurt him but he still looked forward to a life without mayhem, without spirits or bloody battles, or kidnappings. He had rescued Orihime Inoue from her captivity in Hueco Mundo...and although romance wasn't a big thing with him, the thought of her availability still remained in the back of his head, taunting him, urging him to make a move before she got tired of waiting or some other asshole came along. A normal life meant that he now had the time and place for Inoue in his life. These thoughts had only strengthened after finding out she had been secretly in love with him all these years-a revelation that flattered him immensely.

He woke up to the blaring of his alarm clock, his brain fighting to keep him in bed. He forced himself up and moved to turn off the horrible sound. His bedsheets were cool in the late August morning but a thin layer of sweat still clung to his body. He didn't remember what he dreamed, something about talking shadows, but he didn't care enough to find out. Pushing back the covers, he stumbled to his bathroom.

The boy stood in front of the mirror to see gray circles beneath messy red-blond. And that disgusting taste of morning breath...what the hell did he eat last night? Take-out Chinese food? He remembered his little sister Yuzu ordering it after the refridgerator went empty. He grabbed his toothbrush and squeezed out mint-flavored paste.

After cleaning his mouth, he stripped of his clothes, cranked on the shower, and stepped into the warm steam. Smiling under the hot spray he relaxed, water cleansing away grease and dirt. He pumped out some shampoo from a nearby bottle and lathered it in his hair. The bubbles were pink and the lavicious color suddenly reminded him of his friend Orihime. An image of her entered his mind. 

About twenty minutes later, Ichigo got out of the shower with towel wrapped around his waist. A hot blush stained his face, both shamed and perversely satisfied. He was gonna have a hard time facing Inoue today.

It was early morning at Karakura High. Students bustled to their classes with scarves and sweaters wrapped around them. The sun rose brightly over the building, bathing its green watered lawn and trees in a soft gold.

Ichigo approached the entrance with a school bag slung over his shoulder and a yellow school-issued sweater that covered his uniform. His cleaned face still held some pallor.

He spotted his dark haired friend Uryu reading a book as he leaned against the entrance steps. He wore only his gray uniform.

"You're not cold?" Ichigo said as he passed him.

Uryu glanced up. "...Not really."

Ichigo climbed the stairs to the school doors wondering if Uryu was going to hang out with him and Chad today. The Quincy had taken over his job of exterminating Hollows to keep the town safe, something that both relieved and bothered Ichigo. As grateful as the ex-Soul Reaper was that Uryu protected their friends and family, he still couldn't help the pang of jealousy that rose up from time to time.

Chad and Orihime, the other two members of the group, also kept their spiritual powers, but they all silently agreed that it was Uryu who had the runner-up strength next to Ichigo. It'd been hard for Ichigo knowing that Orihime could protect him with her spiritual powers while he couldn't do the same for her.

He walked past a group of gossiping first-years and a couple of punks bragging about what they did the night before, all of them coming as background noise. He entered his homeroom and heard a familiar high-pitched giggle. He looked behind him and saw Orihime laughing with her best friend Tatsuki.

His face warmed, remembering what he did that morning. It wasn't like she knew; he played it cool, putting on his customary scowl. She was gorgeous as usual, long golden-red hair glossy and make-up on. Her bright blue eyes spotted him and she waved her hand from behind Tatsuki's shoulder. "Good morning, Ichigo!"

"Morning Inoue." He turned and went to his seat.

"Okay class..." The teacher looked a bit tired as she stared at the seated class, most of their attention directed at the phrase "Staying Tobacco-Free" written on the chalkboard. "We're having a group project this week. I think you can guess by the board what it's about." She explained it was a three-page page essay about the effects of smoking and what to do to refrain from tobacco. "It's only for this week. You guys might get it done in a few days."

Someone muttered something about this 'being so first grade' while Ichigo gazed at a pencil between his fingers. He was sure he'd already done this in elementary school but wasn't about to complain about an easy assignment.

Chizuru's hand shot up.

"Yes, Chizuru?"

"How many people can be in a group?"

"Three."

"Yay! Can Orihime and I be together?"

A couple people snickered, Chizuru's crush on Orihime already well-known. Ichigo's eyes looked at the ceiling. He didn't care if it was a 'girl thing'; if Chizuru's perverted antics went too far, he was gonna report her for sexual harassment.

"Yes, you can be with Miss Inoue."

"Yay!" She clasped her hands together. She looked over at Tatsuki and Orihime with a saucy smile. The big-breasted girl smiled back, oblivious. Tatsuki glared at Chizuru in irritation.

Keigo grinned at Mizuiro and the two nodded at Ichigo. He looked at them with half-lidded eyes, chin in hand. He didn't mind being with them.

The teacher flipped a paper on her clipboard and frowned. "Oops, actually..." She looked at Chizuru. "...I, uh...already assigned you guys in groups. Sorry..."

"Huh?!" Chizuru's glasses almost fell off her nose. Quiet groans and sounds of exasperation filled the room.

Ichigo didn't give really care; he stared out the window at a white bird picking the grass. The bird reminded him of Rukia somehow. A red jay landed by, bringing to mind Renji.

"When I call your name, please go to your group... Orihime Inoue..."

The strawberry blonde whipped her head up, looking embarassed at her name being called first.

"Uryu Ishida..."

He continued writing notes on a piece of paper, not bothering to look up.

"...and Ichigo Kurosaki. You three are the first group."

There was a bit of an awkward silence for some illogical reason. Didn't they all know eachother? Perhaps to diffuse the tension, Orihime sprung out of her seat and clapped her hands together. "Yay!" She looked at her group mates. "...I'm with you guys!"

Ichigo glanced at his partners, one pink-faced, the other still bent over his notes. Orihime he didn't mind. It was Ishida who got on his nerves. Despite all they've been through, they still had trouble working together.

Should he go to Orihime's desk or let Orihime go to him? The first option made him more of a gentlemen, someone who took charge...while the other would him look cooler and nonchalant. As he muled over his options, he realized it was too late. Ishida had already put away his notes and picked up his chair over to Orihime. For the slightest moment, Ichigo almost admired the social courage the Quincy had-to be the bigger person and make the first move. That, or he was just making a big shit out of nothing; Ishida just probably went to her out of impatience to get the juvenile assignment over with. Either way, he still had more balls than he did.

That pissed Ichigo off, his own incompetence frustrating him. He rose out of his seat and made his way to Orihime, pencil in hand. As he passed Chizuru, he heard the red-haired lesbian mutter something about 'that orange-haired jackass not deserving Hime'.


End file.
